Michael e



(No Model.)

M. E. LOUGHLIN.

POST T01.

110.479,123. Patented July 19, 1892.

/NVENTUH IVE-:1215.252 aigu-f1.7,-

UNTTED STATES PATENT* OFFICE.

MICHAEL E. LOUGHLIN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND FENCE COMPANY, CF SAME PLACE.

POST-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,123, dated July 19, 1892. Application filed March 22, 1892. Serial No. 425,931. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL E. LOUGHLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Post-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

rlhe object of my said invention is to provide a top which may be iirmly secured upon the upper ends of posts, especially those made of gas-pipe-snch as fence-posts and the like and thus effectually exclude moisture and prevent removal of the same, except by the application of considerable force, as by means of a Wrench or some other implement. Said invention will be first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure l is a side elevation of a section of wire fence, the posts whereof are provided with tops embodying my said invention; Fig. 2, a central sectional View through the upper end of the post and the lower end of the top, showingr how they are united; Fig. 3, a view of the post-top separately, taken at right angles with Fig. 2, but otherwise similar to said Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a View similar to Fig. 2, except that the upper end of the post is omitted; and Fig. 5 a horizontal sectional View looking downwardly from the dotted line 5 5.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the postetop, B the fence-post, and C the fence-wires.

The top A has a socket which lits over the upper end of the post. Vertical grooves a eX- tend up into this socket, and circumferential and slightly-inclined grooves a continue from the bottoms of said vertical grooves nearly around from one of said grooves to the other.

The posts B are or may be of any desired material, but in use I have commonly employed gas-pipe, which is a very common material for fence-posts, to which posts my said invention has been most commonly applied.

Near the upper end of said posts a hole is drilled through and a pin or piece of wire Z) inserted through said hole and its ends bent down, as shown, usually by striking` them with a hammer.

The operation is to place the tops on the upper ends of the posts, so that the ends of the wire b will enter the vertical groove a.. Then by use of a wrench or pipe-tongs the top is given a smart turn, which forces the ends of the wire b into the circumferential and slightly-inclined grooves a', which not only turns and locks said ends in said grooves, but pulls the upper end of the post iirmly against the end of the socket in the top, thus uniting the parts very securely and iirmly together. W'hen so united, they can only be separated by the application of considerable force, similar to that by which they are forced into place. They are therefore not subject to removal by ordinary accidents or by mischievous persons.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. rlhe combination, with a post having a pin or projection near its top, of atop having a socket with vertical grooves for receiving said pins or projections, and circumferential and slightly-inclined grooves extending from said vertical grooves, into which said projections may be forced.

2. rlhe combination, with a post havingr a pin formed of wire extending through a hole in its top, which pin has its ends bent down, of a top having a socket and internal grooves into which the ends of said pin will enter, and whereby the post and top are secured together, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 19th day of March, A. D. 1892.

MICHAEL E. LOUGHLIN. [L. s]

IVitnesses:

E. W. BRADFORD, J. A. WALSH. 

